Hill-Lewis urges Ramaphosa to halt Public Procurement Act, says it will hinder service delivery
The new law will centralise public procurement and strip local and provincial authorities from determining their preferential procurement policies - which now have to be developed in line with the new law.
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis. Picture: X/Geordinhl
CAPE TOWN - Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis wants President Cyril Ramaphosa to halt the implementation of the new Public Procurement Act, arguing it will hamper service delivery.
Hill-Lewis is not ruling out court action if the act, signed into law by the president last month, is gazetted soon.
The new law will centralise public procurement and strip local and provincial authorities from determining their preferential procurement policies - which now have to be developed in line with the new law.
In a letter to the president, Hill-Lewis says the Public Procurement Act undermines the autonomy of local government, allowing direct interference from provincial treasuries and a new national procurement office.
READ: WC Premier raises concerns about the Public Procurement Act with Ramaphosa
He said the lag in decision-making will impact swift action by municipalities.
"The city often has to make fast procurements to respond to the needs of our residents especially regarding water, sanitation, electrical, waste and environmental issues. It is, therefore, unacceptable that under this new bill we could be waiting for approval from Pretoria while Cape Town residents experience service delivery delays," said Hill-Lewis.
Hill-Lewis is also concerned the new law will stifle infrastructure investment and expose municipalities to more red tape and hidden costs.
He has the backing of Western Cape Premier Alan Winde who has also penned his concerns to the president, arguing the act does not pass constitutional muster and that public inputs were not adequately considered.